During the early evening of May 18, 2018, Detective’s Legros, Cicerone, Goncalves, McNally and I were working in an undercover capacity assigned to the Somerville Police Drug Control Unit.At 4:45 P.M. observations were made of XXXX(DOB xxxx) by me, walking eastbound on Highland Avenue towards School Street. XXXX is known to members of the Drug Control Unit due to his reputation involving the personal use of Heroin and Fentanyl. XXXX has been the victim of drug overdoses in the past and also has been present when Police respond to drug overdose of other individuals. In the past we have also arrested one of XXXX’s drug distributors after XXXX was involved with his distributor in a drug transaction, during that incident XXXX purchased Fentanyl from his distributor and Fentanyl was also recovered from his distributor, who was arrested by the Drug Control Unit. XXXX now while walking eastbound on Highland Ave, was on the phone speaking with someone. I would note that XXXX kept looking back in the westbound Direction of Highland Ave as he continued east on Highland Ave. XXXX then reached the area of Highland Ave and School Street and again looked back in the westbound Direction of Highland Ave.

At this point I notified Detectives in the area of my observations of XXXX and the possibility that XXXX might be going to meet someone to purchase Narcotics. Narcotics Detectives then began to respond to the area of Highland Ave and School Street. After Stopping at the Corner Of Highland Ave and School Street looking in the westbound direction again of Highland Avenue, XXXX took a left onto School Street and began to walk towards Madison Street. At this Point I made my way to School Street to Continue surveillance of XXXX. XXXX then took a left onto Madison Street. At this point Detective’s Cicerone and Legros set up surveillance on Madison Street. Detectives then observed XXXX walk to end of Madison Street, where XXXX took a left onto Sycamore and walked up Sycamore Street towards Highland Ave. XXXX then stopped at the corner of Sycamore Street and Highland Ave and began to manipulate his cell phone. After hanging at the corner of Highland Avenue and Sycamore Street for a few minutes, Detective Goncalves observed XXXX turn around and begin to walk down Sycamore Street towards Madison Street. As XXXX was walking down Sycamore Street, XXXX continued to look back up towards Highland Ave. XXXX then took a right onto Madison Street.

Detectives Legros, Cicerone, and McNally now had an eye on XXXX as he was hanging around the corner of Madison Street and Sycamore. A few minutes later Observations were made by Detectives of two black males inside a Nissan Rogue (Ma Reg xxxx) driving onto Madison Street from Sycamore. The Rogue then pulled over to the right side of the street and observations were made of XXXX entering the rear passenger door of the vehicle. At this point Detective Cicerone advised me that the Vehicle was heading down Madison Street towards School Street. At this Point Detective Cicerone Began to follow the vehicle down Madison Street towards School Street. The vehicle then took a right onto School Street as it began to travel towards Highland Avenue. The vehicle then Stopped in traffic at a red light right before Highland Avenue.

At this point Detective Cicerone who was following the vehicle made his way around the vehicle onto Highland Ave in the area of YYYY (xx Highland Ave) to intercept XXXX if he exited the vehicle as XXXX is living at XXXX, which is right around the corner from where we were stopped. At this point I pulled up behind the vehicle and observed XXXX exit the vehicle and walk onto Highland Avenue. At this point I notified Detectives that XXXX had just exited the vehicle and took a right onto Highland Avenue. At this point the vehicle was still stopped at the red light.

I would like to point out, that it is common during a street level drug transaction that a drug dealer picks up there cliental in their vehicle and brings them on a short/pointless ride. This is a known tactic used by drug distributors in order for them to make a quick drug transaction in the privacy of their vehicle. This is done in a discreet manner in order to elude any witnesses and to elude the Police of the illegal drug transaction. This is known to Narcotics Detectives as a “meaningless Ride”. Based on my training and experience the behaviors displayed by the individuals during the course of this observation were consistent with that of a street level drug transaction.

At this time, Detective’s Cicerone, McNally, Legros with their Police badges prominently displayed on the exterior of their clothing Approached XXXX, to conduct a threshold inquiry to further investigate his activity. Detective McNally then grabbed onto XXXX’s arms to prevent him from putting anything in his mouth and swallowing potential evidence/drugs. Once Detective McNally grabbed onto XXXX, Detective Cicerone advised XXXX to open his mouth. XXXX then stated that its in his Pocket. Detective McNally then recovered a 1.5 gram baggie of an off white powdery substance which is believed to be Heroin or Fentanyl. Detective Cicerone then advised me that Detective McNally had recovered some product from XXXX. I then radioed Somerville Control that I was following a vehicle and that I needed a marked unit to conduct a Motor Vehicle Stop.

At this point the vehicle took a right onto Highland Ave heading west bound, where Detective Cicerone observed that the black males had observed XXXX detained by Detectives. Detective Cicerone then in a ruse pretended to be a pedestrian crossing the street slowly as he felt that the vehicle would flee the area in a hurry. At this point Detective Cicerone turned around and exposed his Police Badge and identified himself as a Police Officer. At this point I was behind the vehicle and observed that the vehicle was put in the reverse gear and what was believed to be an attempt to flee. At this point Detective Cicerone drew his firearm and ordered the males to put the car in park. I would like to note that there was heavy traffic on the east bound side of Highland Ave and I was behind the target vehicle in my unmarked Police Vehicle and the only area where there were no vehicles was straight and that was were Detective Cicerone was standing.

At this Point I exited my vehicle and approached the driver side of the vehicle, where I had the driver later identified as Darryll Cherfils (DOB xxxx) exit the vehicle and I placed him into handcuffs for Officer Safety. Detective Cicerone then had the passenger later identified as Jamison Gaston (DOB xxxx) step out of the vehicle where he placed him into handcuffs for officer safety. All Three suspect were then separated and were read their Miranda warnings from a card by Detective McNally. After Detective McNally read the three suspects their Miranda warnings, Detective McNally asked them if they understood them and all three suspects said yes. Officer’s Pavao, Khoury and Officer Issacs also arrived on scene and assisted with the Motor vehicle stop.

At this point Detective Legros and I then Made our way to speak to Cherfils. We then asked Cherfils where he and his passenger Gaston were coming from prior to being stopped by Police. Cherfils stated that he just came from the pizza place named xxxx in Cambridge. I then asked if he met up with anyone or if anyone entered his car from when he left Alfredos to when he was stopped by the Police. Cherfils Stated no. I then asked Cherfils if there was any illegal narcotics in the vehicle and Cherfils stated there something in the vehicle. Detective Cicerone asked the same series of questions to Gaston. Gaston advised Detective Cicerone that he was just picked by Cherfils from his sidepiece’s house which is located at xx Highland Avenue in Somerville. Detective Cicerone then asked Gaston to point in the Direction of his sidepieces house and he pointed westbound on Highland Ave. I would note that the Motor vehicle stop was conducted in the area of 1xx Highland Avenue and that numbers on Highland Ave go up if you travel westbound. Detective Cicerone also asked Gaston if he and Cherfils had picked up anyone or met anyone prior to the motor vehicle stop and Gaston stated no.

I then made my way to speak with XXXX. I asked XXXX what the product was that he possessed in his pocket. XXXX then advised me that he was not sure but believed it to be Fentanyl. XXXX declined to speak with me about anything else. At this point Detective’s Goncalves and Cicerone began to search the vehicle. Detective Cicerone then located one hundred dollars of US currency in the center console of the vehicle. I would note that the one hundred dollars in US currency found in the center console of the vehicle is consistent with how much the 1.5 gram of Heroin/Fentanyl XXXX had in his possession would cost.

Detective Goncalves then found a white plastic bag that was tied in a knot on the front passenger side floorboard. Detective Goncalves untied that bag and inside that white plastic bag was a grey plastic bag tied in a knot. Detective Goncalves then opened that bag and inside that bag was six plastic baggies Containing an off white powdery substance (Preliminary weight 544.4 Grams) which is believed to be Heroin or Fentanyl. Detective Goncalves then called me over to advise me what she found. I would also like to note that the substance found in the vehicle is consistent in color and in texture with the off white powdery substance found on XXXX. At this point I walked up to Cherfils and asked him who the white bag belonged to. Cherfils did not answer. I then made way to Gaston and asked him the same question, Gaston stated that nothing in the car is his. Please see Detective McNally supplement report regarding all evidence seized.

Cherfils and Gaston were then placed under arrest. Both parties were then transported to Somerville Police Headquarters via marked unit 200, Officer McDaid, where they were booked in the usual manner by Lieutenant Digregorio. Cherfils vehicle was towed to the Somerville Police Garage via Pat’s Tow as Detective McNally followed directly behind it the entire way. Cherylls US currency and his vehicle will be held for forfeiture proceedings. XXXX will be summonsed into court at a later date for possession of a Class B Substance.

Do to the large amount of potential Fentanyl Seized. Detective Cicerone made his way to the Cambridge Police Department to test the substance. The substance was tested in the Cambridge Police Department because they are equipped with a Fentanyl testing station. Detectives Borham and Edwards of the Cambridge PD tested the substance with a Preliminary Nark11 test kit. The substance tested positive for Fentanyl.

Jamison Gaston and Darryll Cherfils will be charged with the following :